"A true professional" - Oscar Piastri claims Daniel Ricciardo has 'no hard feelings' for him despite McLaren saga

Daniel Ricciardo is without an F1 seat for next season. The eight-time Grand Prix winner will be replaced at McLaren by fellow compatriot Oscar Piastri. Ricciardo's unceremonious removal from the team with a year remaining on his contract has generated talk of friction between the two Australian drivers, but Piastri has put any such claims to rest.

During a recent appearance on In The Fast Lane podcast, Piastri was asked about his relationship with Ricciardo. He revealed that the Aussie driver called him to wish him well at McLaren and that there were no hard feelings between them, he said:

"That was a really great thing, for Daniel to get in touch. Knowing there was no hard feelings, that really helped me quite a lot. So that was good, to get in touch. That was a nice moment."

Commenting on the way Ricciardo has responded to recent events, Piastri said:

"A true professional, Daniel is. My respect for him was already extremely high and it’s only got higher in the way he’s responded."

Piastri was an academy driver for Alpine but uncertainty over his future led to the young driver switching to McLaren. The French outfit did not recognize his contract with the Woking-based constructor and the matter went to the FIA Contracts Recognition Board, which ruled in favor of Piastri and McLaren.

McLaren decided to replace Daniel Ricciardo after two disappointing seasons. The eight-time Grand Prix winner joined McLaren from Renault in 2021 but hasn't had a good string of performances apart from a win at the 2021 Italian GP.

McLaren is looking towards the future with their new lineup. They have paired 21-year-old Oscar Piastri with 22-year-old Lando Norris.

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Daniel Ricciardo has a great past but his future remains dark

Daniel Ricciardo had a great tenure at Red Bull. He placed third in the championship in 2014 and 2016, just behind the dominant pair of Mercedes drivers. After Max Verstappen joined the team in 2016, the Aussie driver started feeling the pressure.

By the 2018 season, he understood he was no longer the number one driver in the team. He decided to switch teams in pursuit of becoming the number one driver and moved to Renault in a surprise move in 2019. His two years at Renault were disappointing, similar to the ones at McLaren. He had just one podium finish, placing third at the Emilia Romagna GP in 2020.

Daniel Ricciardo has gone from being a championship contender to trying to enter Q2. He never really understood how to drive the new McLaren, while his teammate produced consistent results to push the team to fifth in the constructors championship.

The Aussie will be remembered for his bubbly personality and good humor. With his chances of securing a seat for the 2023 season looking bleak, we might not be able to experience him racing in F1 anytime soon.